Vending machine for packaged articles



Jan. 9, 1951 c. L. CASEY Ei-AL 2,537,300

VENDING MACHINE FOR PACKAGED ARTICLES Filed April 18, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet l Jan. 9, 1951 c. L. CASEY EI'AL VENDING MACHINE FOR PACKAGED ARTICLES Filed April 18, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fl EJ622576 C/kazr/ l. Case Jan. 9, 1951 c. L. CASEY ETAL VENDING MACHINE FOR PACKAGED ARTICLES Filed April 18, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Jan. 9, 1951 c. L. CASEY ETAL VENDING MACHINE FOR PACKAGED ARTICLES Filed April 18, 1-947 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Z/zdazfi s C/iar/cisl Ca;

Fig. 5.

line- 6-6, Fig. 3.

Patented Jan. 9, 1951 VENDING MACHINE FOR PACKAGED ARTICLES Charles L. Casey, Riverside, andiuddson B. Ryno,

Chicago, 111., assignors to Reliable Metal Engineering (30., Chicago, 111., a firm Application April 18, 1947, Serial No. 742,424

8 Claims; 1

This invention relates to improvements in vending machines, particularly adapted, though not necessarily limited in use, for vending pack-' aged sanitary napkins, and one of the objects of the invention is to provide in an improved machine of this character, means whereby theiarticle may be readily delivered to the customer upon the deposit therein of a proper coin-or token, to render the ejecting mechanism active.

Another object is to provide improved means for preventing the unauthorized extraction of another article after one has been delivered, until another proper coin is inserted.

A further object is to provideimproved ejecting mechanism. g

A further object is to provide improved means for preventing the insertion of a coin into the machine when the machine is empty, and which means is rendered inactive by the pressure of the articles or packages themselves.

A still further object is to provide improved means for storing additional articles or packages separately from the supply from which the articles are being vended.

Still another object is to provide an improved machine of this character, which will be-simple, durable, compact in construction, and effective and eificient in operation.

To the attainment of these ends, and the accomplishment of other new and useful objects as will appear, the invention consists in the features of novelty in substantially the construction, c'ombination and arrangement of the several parts, hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and shown in the accompanying drawings illustrating this invention, in which i Fig. l is a front elevation of a vending machine of this character, embodying the principles of this invention, and with the front .-.'or closure'for the casing removed.

' Fig. 2 is a detail vertical sectional view taken on line 22, Fig. 3, with parts broken away for clearness.

Fig. 3 is a detail view similar to Fig. l, with parts omitted and with parts in section.

Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view on line t-G,

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view on line 5+5, Fig. 4.. Fig.6 is a horizontal sectional view taken. on

. Fig. '7 is a view, partly in elevation, partly. in

supporting means therefor.

extends across the space or compartment tilmone Referring more particularly to the drawings, the numeral designates, generally, an enclosing casing, which may be of any desired size and configuration, and constructed of any suitable material. It is, however, preferably rectangular, and is provided with a closure H, hinged at 12, which may be secured in a closed position by means of a suitable lock (not shown).

Within the casing is a partition i3 which forms a support for the articles l4 that are being vended, and the partition is provided with an upright portion 55 that co-operates with the casing walls, to form. a compartment it, in which additional articles I! may be stored. Another partition it may also be provided to form a compartment 58 for holding still other objects 20. The partitions i5 and I8 terminate short of the wall We of the casing, to form a compartment 290:, in which latter the operating mechanism and the ejector are removably disposed. v,

. A closure member 2| for the delivery outlet is mounted upon a support 22, preierably in the form of a plate, having an opening 23rtherethrough, through which opening the closure member 2! operates; in a manner to be described. ihe closure member is preferably mounted upon an arm 26 of a lever 25, which is pivotally supported intermediate its ends, as at 26, upon a fulcrum, such as between guide-ways 21, secured to the support 22 in any suitable manner, such by means of rivets 01' fastening devices 28. The lower end of the lever is deflected forwardly,

end 29 of the lever 25 into the position shown in Figs. 1 and 3. The lever 25, and spring 38, be ing mounted upon the support 22, may be readily removed as a unit, by unfastening the fastening devices 32, 33 (Fig. 6), after which the support .22 vmay be withdrawn through the front of the casing. A guide-way 3 1 may be provided on. the

support 22, to receive an edge 35 (Fig. 3) of the rcasing, adjacent the delivery outlet 35 and a pornftion of the support 22 forms one wall of the .out-

let or delivery opening 3 l A shaft 36 is journaled in suitable bearings, and

end projecting through an outer wall of the eas- :ing, and to which end is secured an operating handle 3?, by means of which the shaft be rotated. A coin carrier 38, having a seat therein to receive a coin 39, is also carried by the shaft 35, and the coin seat is in alinement with the delivery end 45 of a coin chute 4| that opens through the front of the casing. A locking dog 42 co-operates with a shoulder 43, to lock the coin carrier and the shaft against rotation in one direction, until the coin raises the dog, in a mam ner well known in this art. The dog 42 may be gravity controlled, or controlled by a spring (not shown).

A spring 43a is anchored at one end, as at 44, and is connected at its other end, as at 44a. to the coin carrier 58, and tends normally to move the coin carrier and the shaft 35 in one direction. When the dog 42 is raised by the coin, the shaft and coin carrier may be rotated against the stress of the spring, and the spring, when the handle 31' is released, will return the parts to normal position.

Carried by the support 22, and pivotally mounted intermediate its ends, as at 45, is a closure for the coin-chute 4:, one end 45 thereof adapted to project across the coin chute, as shown in Fig. 1, when the other end 4'! thereof is not engaged by the articles to be vended. A spring 48 tends normally to force the articles M to ad- Vance laterally forwardly, so as to position one of the articles in alinement with the delivery outlet 3|, the article being forced against the partition or support 22, and at the same time engaging the member 41, to swing it about its pivot, to move the end 46 thereof out of position with respect to the coin chute 4|, so that a coin can be inserted into the chute.

Carried by the shaft 58 is an ejector member 49, which is preferably in the form of an arm, and is disposed to project below the partition l3, and carried by the arm is a flange or abutment member 50 for the articles Hi, the spring 48 urging the articles forwardly, so that when the foremost article contacts the support 22, it will be directly above the arm 49. When the shaft 35 is then turned by the handle 37, the co-operating parts being moved in a manner to be set forth, the article above the arm will be contacted thereby, and forced to project partially through the delivery opening 3!, and into a position where it may be grasped by the operator (Fig. The protruding article may then be drawn from the machine, and when the handle 3'! is released, the spring 43a will return the ejector arm 49 and the coin carrier 38, so that another of the articles I4 may be moved into an ejecting position above the arm, by the spring 43 and the other articles in the vending compartment. It is to be understood that the clcsure 2| is first moved out of the way, so as to open the delivery outlet 3|.

As the ejector arm 49 is raised to eject the article, the flange or abutment 5!] will be moved into position within the path of advancing movement of the next article E4, to be engaged by the ejector when the partially ejected article is entirely removed through the delivery opening 3| (see Fig. 5). Since during this operation there will be no article in engagement with the coin chute closer member 47, it will swing by gravity so as to move the end 46 thereof across the coin chute 4|, so that no coin can be inserted until another article contacts the member 41, to move its end 45 from across the coin chute, ready for the insertion of another coin to dispense another article.

When the partially ejected article I4 is removed through the delivery opening 3| (see Fig. 5) the .flange or abutment member 50 will be in theiposition shown in the figure, and it will be apparent that a subsequent article cannot be removed from the machine by the insertion of a tool orimplement through the delivery opening 3 The ejector 49 is provided with a shoulder 5| (Figs. 2 and 4), having a recess 52 that is adapted to be moved into a position in alinement with the end 29 of the lever 25, to receive such end and thereby permit the closure member 2| to move from across the delivery outlet 3|, as shown in Fig. 5. The portions 53 and 53a of the shoulder, on opposite sides of the recess, are preferably of a cam shape, to co-operate with the end 29 of the lever 25, in a manner to be set forth. When the recess 52 is not in alinement with the end 29 of the lever 25, such end will engage the side of the ejector, and the latter will serve as a lock, or means for preventing the actuation or movement of the closure 2| in a direction that would open the outlet opening 3 l.

Carried by the ejector member 49, and in proximity to the recess 52, may be a member 54 which is pivotally mounted intermediate its ends, as at 55, on one side of the recess 52. A spring 56 tends normally to move the member 54 with respect to the shoulder 5|, in a direction to cause it to engage a stop 51, on one side of its pivot, while the other end 58 of the member projects beyond the edge of the shoulder 5|. The member 54 is so disposed with respect to the recess 52, and the end 29 of the lever 25, that when the recess 52 is in a position to receive the end 29 of the lever 25 (Fig. 5), such end will project into the recess and within the path of movement of the member 54, with the ejector.

j In this position, the closure member 2| will assume the open position shown in Fig. 5, so that the article may be delivered through the delivery opening. A continued movement of the shaft 35,

and ejector 49, in the same direction, will cause the member 54 to be rocked about its pivot 55, against the stress of the spring 56, and the member 54 will snap over the end 29 of the lever, and into the position shown in Fig. 4, on top of the end 29 of the lever 25.

Upon a reverse movement of the shaft 36, and the ejector 49, the free end of the member 54, being in contact with the stop 51, will become rigid with respect to the ejector, so that when itengages the end 29 of the lever, on the upper side of the latter, on this reverse stroke, it will earn and rock the lever 25, against the stress of the spring 30, and in the opposite direction, to move the closure member 2| from the open position shown in Fig. 5, to the closing position shown in Figs. 1 and 3, to close the delivery opening 3|. The member 54 will then ride over the end 29 of the lever 25, back into the position shown in Fig. 2. When the ejector is moving to the position shown in Fig. 5, the flange or abutment will assume the position shown in this figure, to arrest the advancing movement of the articles I4, and to form a-shield or guard to prevent unauthorized removal of a subsequent article by the insertion of an implement through the delivery outlet 3|.

When the ejector moves from the position shown in Fig. 5, to the position shown in Fig. 3, the flange or abutment 59 will move to the position shown, so as to permit another article to be advanced by the spring 48, to a position to contact the abut-ment, and to be engaged and ejected by the ejector when the latter is rocked after the insertion into the machine, of another proper coin or token.

A pawl 59 is provided to co-operatewith a (Fig. 2), in a manner also well known-in this art The coin carrier 38 is arranged to discharge into a coin receptacle 65, removable from the casing when the closure H is opened. h v

- The support 22, which carries "the closure member 2|, the lever 25, fulcrum 21, andcoin slot closure member 41 (see Figs. 6 and 7), may be readily removed from the casing, asaunit, by

removing the fastening devices or bolts32, 33, so

as to permit access to the ejecting controlled mechanism. 7

It is thought that the operation of this improved vending machine will be clearly understood from the foregoing description, but, briefly stated, it is as follows:

The normal position of the parts is that shown in Figs. 1 and 3, and the end 29 of'the lever will contact the side of the ejector 49. When a coin is inserted into the coin chute 4|, it will be delivered to the coin carrier 38 (Fig. 2). Upon operation of the handle 31, the locking dog 42 will be raised to render the coin-controlled and operating mechanism active. Upon further rotation of the handle 31 in the same direction, the ejector 49 will be raised, the cam surface 53a will move along the top of the end 29 of the lever 25, to hold the closure 2| from opening under the stress of the spring 30, until the recess-52 is moved into a position in alinement with the end 29 of the lever 25. The spring 30 will then shift the closure 2| to an open position, as theend 29 of the lever will enter into the recess 52. The parts will then assume the position shown in Fig. 5.

A further movement of the ejector in the same direction will cause the end 58 'of the member'54 to engage and ride over the end 29 of the lever 25, and subsequently snap thereacross. The article or package M to be delivered, will then assume the position shown in Fig. 5, as the cam surface 53 will engage the top of the end 29 of the lever 25, and hold the closure 2| open. The article can then be withdrawn.

With the parts in this position, should it be attempted to unauthorizedly remove another article or package by means of an instrument inserted into the delivery outlet 3|, such removal will be prevented by reason of the fact that the flange or abutment 50 will have assumed the position shown in Figs. 4 and 5. As soon as the article is withdrawn, the spring 48 will advance the articles l4, so as to position another one above the ejector 49, and in engagement with the flange or abutment 50.

When the handle 31 is released, one end of the member 54 being in engagement with the stop 51, will cause it to become rigid withrespect to the ejector, so that upon return movement of the and coinejector, the member 54 will engage and depress.

the end 29 of the lever 25, and force 'the closure 2| from the position shown in-Fig. -5 back to the position shown in Figs. 1 and 3, against the stress of the Spring 30. 5 h

The member 41, being weighted at its'lower end, will, when there is no article l4 pressing thereagamst by" the spring 48",swing into a position to move the end 46 thereof acrossthe coim chute to prevent insertion of another coin or token. When, however, the articles M are pressedagainst the end of the member 41, it will swing into a position to move the end 46 thereof-out of the way, to open the coin chute to permit inser-- tion of another coin or token, to dispense another article or package l4. 1 I

'In the event that the operator should releasethe handle 31 when an article is projected'partially through the delivery outlet 3|,- or when in the position shown in Fig. 5, the end of the 010-.

sure 2| will be projected through the opening 23" in the support 22, and into engagement with the sideof the article, but the article may be readilyremoved by grasping the exposed end and pulling the same through the opening. In this event,

the closure 2| will yield, and no damage done to the article or package. i

When the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 1, the pressure of the spring 48 will forcetheforemost article It against the support 22, and it will be held suspended above the ejector by frie tion, and the spring 48 will yield sufiiciently;

when the ejector is operated, to permit the fore-' most article to be moved thereby, from the posi tion shown in Figs. 1 and 3 to that shown in Fig.5.

While the preferred form of the invention has been herein shown and described, it is to beunderstood that various changes may be made-in the details of construction, and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, within the scope of the claims, without departing from the spirit of this invention.

What is claimed as new is: j

1. In an article vending machine having a delivery outlet, an extended support for thearti cles, an injector mounted for rotation across an end of the support about an axis extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of said support and in a plane alined with said outlet, means for urging the articles from said end of the sup port into alinement with said delivery outlet and also with said ejector, means for moving the ejector to project an article through said outlet, a closure movable relative said outlet be-i tween open and closed positions and including an operating member, spring means biasing said closure to open position, and means embodying mechanism responsive in its operation to, the actuation of said ejector and cooperating with said closure operating member, for permitting said closure to move to open position under the force of said biasing means and to move said closure to closed position against the force of said biasing means;

2. In an article vending machine having .a delivery outlet, an elongated support for the articles, an ejector mounted for rotation across an end of the support about an axis extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of s'aid'su'pport and in a plane alined with said outlet, means for continually urging the articles successively from the support into a position between the ejector and the delivery end of said outlet,lmea'ns for oscillating the ejector, a closure movable relative said outlet between open and closed positions, said closure including 'an operating member, yieldable means independently urging saidclosure to open position, means cooperating with said operating member and responsive to the operation of the ejector for permitting said closure to move to open position under the force of said urging means and to move said closure to closed-position, against the force of said-urging means, and an abutment flange carried by the ejector and movable over said end of the support into and out of the path of advancing movement of the articles upon the said support as said ejector is moved to ejecting position and returned.

3. An article vending machine embodying a casing having a delivery outlet, an elongated support for the articles having an open end adjacent the delivery outlet, an ejecor arm mounted for rotation across said open end of the support about an axis extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of said support and in a plane alined with said outlet, means urging the articles along the support and successively into alinement with said outlet and said ejector arm, a closure mounted in the casing for opening and closing movement relative said delivery outlet, an operating member connected with said closure, resilient means independently biasing said closure to open position, and cam means on said ejector arm engageable with a part of said operating member remote from the closure, said cam means being formed for permitting said closure to move to open position when the ejector arm is moved to an ejecting position and to move said closure to a closed position against the force of said biasing means when the ejector arm is moved to an inoperative position.

- 4. An article vending machine embodying a casing having a delivery outlet, an elongated support for the articles having an open end adjacent the delivery outlet, an ejector arm mounted for rotation across said open end of the support about an axis extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of said support and in a plane alined with said outlet, means urging the articles along the support and successively into alinement with said outlet and said ejector arm, a closure mounted in the casing for opening and closing movement relative said delivery outlet, an operating member connected with said closure, resilient means biasing said closure to open position, cam means on said ejector arm engageable with a part of said operating member remote from the closure, said cam means being formed for permitting said closure to move to open position when the ejector arm is moved to an ejecting position and to move said closure to a closed position against the force of said biasing means when the ejector arm is moved to an inoperative position, an abutment flange carried by said ejector arm and disposed for movement over said end of the support into and out of the path of movement of said articles as said e ector arm is moved to ejecting position and returned, and means for actuating said ejector arm.

5. An article vending machine embodying a casing having a deliver outlet, an elongated support for the articles having an open end adjacent the delivery outlet, an ejector arm mounted for rotation across said open end of the support about an axis extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of said support and in a plane aligned with said outlet, means urging the articles along the support and successively into alinement with said outlet and said ejector arm, a closure mounted in the casing for opening and closing movement relative said delivery outlet, an operating member connected with said closure, resilient means biasing said closure to open position, cam means on said ejector arm engage: I

able with a part of said operating member re-- mote from the closure, said cam means being formed for permitting said closure to move to open position when the ejector arm is moved to an ejecting position and to move said closure to a closed position against the force of said biasing means when the ejector arm is moved to an inoperative position, an abutment flange carried by said ejector arm and disposed for movement over said end of the support into and out of the path of movement of said articles as said ejector arm is moved to ejecting position and returned, and means for rotating said ejector arm to ejecting position, and spring means connected with said rotating means to return the ejector arm from ejecting position.

6. In a vending machine having a delivery outlet, a support for the articles, an ejector movable adjacent an end of the support, means for urging the articles from the support into a position to be engaged and shifted by the ejector, a closure for the outlet movable into open and closed relations thereto, a pivotally mounted arm having one end connected with the closure and having the other end arranged for movement into and out of the operating path of the ejector, a cam member movable with the ejector, resilient means biasing the closure to one of said relations to the outlet and said other end of the arm into engagement with the cam member for controlling opening and closing movement of the closure, means for actuating the ejector, and one direction deflectable means carried by the cam member for yielding engagement with said other end of the arm and unimpeded passage of the last mentioned end thereby during ejecting movement of the ejector and camming engagement with said last mentioned end during returning movement of the ejector.

71 Ina vending machine having a delivery outlet, a support for the articles, an ejector movable adjacent an end of the support, means for urging the articles from the support into a position to be engaged and shifted by the ejector, a closure for the outlet movable into open and closed relation thereto, a pivotally mounted arm having one end connected with the closure and having the other end arranged for movement into'and out of the operating path of the ejector, a plate cam member movable with the ejector, resilient means biasing the closure to an open position and said other end of the arm into engagement with the cam member for controlling opening and closing movement of the closure, one direction defiectable means carried by the ejector for yielding engagement with said other end of the arm and unimpeded passage of the last mentioned end thereby during ejecting movement of the ejector and camming engagement with said last mentioned end during returning movement of the ejector, an abutment flange on the ejector movable into a position across the path of advancing movement of the articles upon the support while another article is being ejected, and means for actuating the ejector.

8. In a vending machine having a delivery outlet, a support for the articles, an ejector movable adjacent an end of the support, means for urging the articles from the support into a position to be engaged and shifted by the ejector, a closure v;for theoutlet movable into open and closed relation thereto, a pivotally mounted arm having one end connected with the closure and having the other end arranged for movement into and out of the operating path of the ejector, a shoulder with a cam recessed edge carried by v the ejector, resilient means biasing the closure to an open position and said other end of the arm into engagement with said shoulder for controlling opening and closing movement of the closure, an auxiliary camming member pivotally mounted on said shoulder with one end extending outwa'rdly thereof and swingable across part of the recessed portion of said edge, means positively limiting the swinging movementof said camming member in one direction while permitting swinging movement in the other direction 10 to selectively cam the other end of said closure arm, said auxiliary camming member being arranged for unimpeded passage of said other end of the arm during ejecting movement of the ejector and camming engagement therewith 15 1,330,073

during returning movement of the ejector, and means for operating said ejector.

CHARLES L. CASEY; JUDDSON B. RYNO.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 569,775 Vail Oct. 20, 1896 1,254,085 Tarasch Jan. 22, 1918 Grover Feb. 10, 1920 

